AMERICAN HOME GAEDEN. 89 



MODE OP PINAL TRANSPLANTING. 



The process of transplanting is a simple one, although re- 

 quiring care and skill to perform it well and rapidly. Let us 

 describe the operation. Having plants, stem-plants, of suita- 

 ble size — that is, from four to ten inches' growth — either drop 

 them at the proper distances, with their heads to the left hand, 

 or place them in a small box or basket on yom' left hand, or 

 sling them in an apron or pouch before you ; take your dibber 

 (see Fig. 59, p. 58) inyom- right hand, and half a dozen or so 

 of plants in your left ; separate one of them, as if slipping it 

 out of the hand, but still holding it with the thumb and fore- 

 finger ; make a perpendicular hole with your dibber of such 

 depth as you judge the root of the particular plant you hold to 

 require ; rack yom- dibber quickly from side to side before you 

 withdi-aw it from the earth, to enlarge somewhat the hole and 

 prevent the sm-face sides filling it in ; then put the root of 

 yom- plant into the hole just made, an inch or two deeper than 

 it stood in the seed-bed, holding it steadily with yom- left 

 hand. The moment it is in position, force yom- dibber down 

 about two inches to the right of it, not quite perpendicularly, 

 but pointing inward, as if to pass under the root of the plant. 

 As soon as the proper depth is attained, which should be about 

 the same as that of the hole first made, bring yom' dibber up- 

 right to the side of the plant by a sudden motion of yom- right 

 hand toward the left, thus pressing the earth against it from 

 the bottom upward ; having set it firmly in its place by this 

 movement, withdraw the dibber, and a single stroke with its 

 point across the side-hole will fill it in and complete the opera- 

 tion. In this manner a rajiid planter will set from five to ten 

 plants per minute. 



If the distances for your plants are not marked, measure 

 them with the eye as you plant, and proceed in the same man- 

 ner to the end. 



All transplanted crops should be lightly and carefully hoed 

 within two or thi-ee days of the time they were set out, to start 

 them at once and healthfully on their growth, and for the fii-st 

 two weeks at least should be daily watched, to catch the cut- 

 worm, which may otherwise destroy them. See Insects. 



